MT. JUDEA — The Mt. Judea School held its third annual Touch a Truck career day at the campus from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 24. There were many different kinds of trucks and equipment on static display for the students to explore. Company representatives answered questions about the vehicles. They also offered information with the emphasis on safety and the multiple career opportunities involving each vehicle.
All students from Deer, Jasper, Kingston, Oark, Valley Springs, Western Grove, Bruno Pyatt and St. Joe were invited to attend.
One of the more massive vehicles on the school's parking lot was a tractor and trailer operated by Distribution Solutions, Inc., of Harrison. Jamie McLeod, the company's administrative assistant for marketing, and Susie Drew, a retired driver who still helps the company whenever needed, were talking to students who were inspecting the tractor's cab and asking questions about all of the different buttons, knobs and switches inside of it.
While McLeod handed out some treats and talked further with the students, Drew was asked to talk about what her 20-year-career as an over-the-road driver was like.
There have been a lot of changes over the years, Drew said, especially whenever new regulations are handed down by the federal Department of Transportation. Some regulations are seen as an inconvenience to some drivers, she admitted. Regulations that improve safety are welcomed. The job is much safer now than in the past.
Driving conditions are also improving as the nation's highway infrastructure continues to be upgraded with straighter and multiple driving lanes and the addition of modern bridges and overpasses. That's good for everyone who shares the road.
Drivers have to be able to adjust to new technology. "Bells and whistles I call them," Drew said.
"I was old-school. I drove a standard (manual transmission) and that kind of thing." Most of them (trucks) are automatic (transmissions), now, and that's OK. Now you don't have to change gears, do nothing," she laughed.
"Overall, trucking has been my life. I worked in a factory for 25 years. It shut down. I had to find something to do. Trucking was there and it was the best decision I ever made," Drew said.
"I have seen every state in the continental United States, now, and I never would have if I had not driven a truck... even from the interstate they are wonderful," she said.
With no one looking over their shoulder truck drivers are in their own world while traveling down the road. "I think it's a great career.
"See the world through a windshield, as the song goes," she said with a laugh.
Among the vendors invited to present at the event were:
AirEvac Helicopter
Block’s Tow Truck
ATU Broadcast Production Team
Arkola Concrete Truck
NARMC Ambulance
Shelly Beth's Pie Wagon
M.VFD Fire Truck
Twin Scoops Ice Cream Truck
Harrison Fire Department
US Air Force
Newton County Sheriff's Office
US National Guard
Cop Car
Newton County Road
Arkansas State Trooper
Arkansas Game & Fish Skidder
Fed Ex Freight
Cowbell Ranch
Hiland Dairy Truck
Farm Bureau Milking Cow
Arkansas Forestry
Milking Goat
Heritage Tractor
Cattle Trailer
Tractor and Baler
West Tree Service
UPS
Davis Trucking Semi•
AR Department of Transportation
DSI Trucking Semi Cab
U of A's Razorbug Car
Shelly Beth's Fried Pies trailer and Twin Scoops Ice Cream truck were there serving up treats.
